'I Am Not The Same Person I Was Before,' Victim Tells Judge As An Abuser Learns His Fate

MOUNT VERNON, NY — A Mount Vernon man will go to prison for a violent attack on his then-fiancé in a Westchester motel room.

Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace has announced that the Mount Vernon man was sentenced to three years in prison. Jason Cabassa, 41, had been previously sentenced for second-degree felony strangulation.

The judge also sentenced Cabassa to one to three years in state prison for aggravated criminal contempt, one to three years for criminal contempt and 364 days on each of the following misdemeanors: criminal obstruction of breathing, third-degree assault, second-degree unlawful imprisonment, third-degree unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Cabassa was found guilty of these charges after a jury trial in August.

The sentences will run concurrently. Cabassa will also serve two years of post-release supervision.

"With October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, it makes this sentencing especially significant," Cacace said. "It is paramount that we continue to raise awareness about domestic violence and that we do everything we can to support survivors of domestic abuse."

Domestic Violence Awareness Month is dedicated to raising awareness about the widespread issue of domestic violence, honoring survivors, and encouraging action and support for those affected.

The assault occurred in Ardsley on March 6, 2024.

"This crime did not just leave physical scars — it left emotional, mental, and spiritual wounds that I am still working to heal," Cabassa's former fiancé said in her victim impact statement, which was read at sentencing. "I go to therapy, and I pray every day for strength and for peace. But I am not the same person I was before .... Even though more than a year has passed, I am still living with the consequences… I carry deep anxiety, sadness, and fear that affect my daily life.”

The District Attorney's Office said prosecutors fought for the maximum sentence of seven years in state prison. In arguing for the maximum sentence, Assistant DA Michelle Lopez, Chief of the Sex Crimes and Human Trafficking Bureau said, "Strangulation is a weapon-just as dangerous as a knife or a gun, both in its ability and effectiveness in instilling fear and its potential in taking a life."